Doing Media/Cultural Studies

Doing Media/Cultural StudiesA Presentation by Anam Wahidi

Cultural and Media Studies

Scholars in general agree that for the improvement of society and its well-being, it is extremely important for audiences to be empowered and educated when it comes to the media. Audiences do not need to reject media presented to them, but they should be able to recognize it in its appropriate context.They should also be able to understand the ways in which it shapes society and for this reason it is important to understand the media in association with society.

Feminism Johnson acknowledges the negative traits, but also recognizes that television has the ability to provide its audience with ‘insight into alternative ways of living in the world.’

Feminist critics should not equate enjoying and engaging in such media as approving and promoting its negative messages.

Bellafante laments, ‘much of feminism has devolved into the silly. And it has powerful support for this: a popular culture insistent on offering images of grown single women as frazzled, self-absorbed girls.’

McRobbie in her critique fully recognizes the challenge of feminists in today’s age where feminism in essence has already passed by and become a matter of ‘common sense'.

Many of today’s modern women feel that they can embrace the sexism directed against them to become more empowered as they exert control in how this apparent sexism is framed.

McRobbie, in a very honest approach recognizes that feminism ‘robbed women of their most treasured pleasures’ .

McHugh interprets the automobiles as a vehicle for women to exercise their ‘autonomy over their literal and their social and sexual movement.’

Immigrants in America The film, although at times unrealistic and light in nature

was actually strongly relevant to an audience familiar with the ordeals and issues of immigrants in Western United States.

Lazera explains that their ‘difficulties are more a reflection of U.S. immigration policy than they are of underlying cultural differences.’

Asian American Stereotypes

Luke’s strongest defense that he takes great pride in is his parents’ lesson to him to not ‘fight back but to work harder and better than whites’.

This kind of empowerment that Chua preaches is what Luke believes is the strongest weapon for a sub-culture like his to use against the mainstream culture. It is the way in which they are able to ‘really own and control the media’.

South Asian Female Sexuality

South Asian women seem to suffer a similar battle, except for the fact that although their culture is often represented in mainstream media, it is generally depicted by anyone but south Asian women.

The Bindi-a dot like embellishment often drawn, pierced or simply glued on the forehead of Indian women as a symbol of what has ‘made the Indian women different from the rest of the world.’

According to the Hindu

religion, girls getting married have their nose pierced to honor the God of marriage and generally prefer having their left nostril pierced as it is’ associated with the female reproductive organs’.

Dilshad Vadsariya a popular character on the show ‘Greek’, Aishwariya Rai dubbed as the most beautiful woman in the world and Freida Pinto star of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ have had the rare opportunity as South Asian women to enter the mainstream media focus but are rarely, if ever seen sporting a bindi or wearing traditional attire.

Asian American Men in the Media

In the popular TV show ‘The Big Bang Theory’ the Indian character Raj Koothrappali although almost always present in every episode is ‘the token Indian guy among the bunch of geeks’, he is shown to have a thick Indian accent, a poor sense of fashion, is remarkably intelligent, is incapable of speaking to women and is often harassed by his parents who want him to have an arranged marriage.

Sun, Miezan and Liberman evaluate this issue also in light of its historical and political context where many stereotypes were encouraged to ‘pit’ minorities against one another.

The US: A Cinematic Society Despite liberal reputations and left inclinations, directors

and producers continue to churn out products that feed into America’s ‘long pattern of imperial arrogance and righteousness’.

Sports Metaphors in Politics

US male politicians use sports references and metaphors to invoke images of ‘manhood’ and masculine pursuits.

Obama’s basketball skills, Durham claims ‘reinforce his “otherness” to the white majority’ who may have struggled to identify with him.

At one point, due to multiple visits to a gym, a reporter wrote ‘"Sometimes it's hard to tell if Barack Obama is running for president of the United States or Mr. Universe."’ Similar attack ads and references were made my McCain’s aides; ‘his campaign manager Rick Davis wrote, "Only

celebrities like Barack Obama go to the gym three times a day."’

As difficult as it may have been for Obama to battle the novelty of his situation, it seems to be even harder for women who are unsure how to portray themselves in a manner that is both strong and still true to their place as females.

Thank you!